3 Atlanta Braves who could follow Ron Washington out the door to Houston
By Mark Powell
Ron Washington should recruit Max Fried to the Astros
Max Fried isn't a free agent just yet -- that isn't until after the 2024 season. However, his future is far from uncertain. Fried is set to enter arbitration again this offseason, and those negotiations tend to turn ugly. The cost of keeping Max Fried could be up to $200 million on a long-term contract. He just turned 30 and will enter free agency with the majority of his pitching prime left. He is a bonafide ace.
Alex Anthopoulos isn't averse to giving out long-term deals, though he also does a tremendous job of standing pat when the moment isn't right. Dansby Swanson and Freddie Freeman were on similar timelines to Fried -- over 30, and perhaps past their primes. Fried is different because he's not a pitcher who relies heavily on velocity.
Were Fried to reach the open market, he'd be tempted to sign closer to home in California. Teams like the Dodgers and Angels would surely be interested. Washington's relationship with Fried isn't direct. Fried works primarily with Braves pitching coach Rick Kranitz. But some familiarity can only help matters, and the Astros do need some pitching depth. Acquiring Fried could be the one big swing they need to return to World Series prominence.
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